Sanitary protector for bedridden patients



Jan. 29, 1952 M' vE c, FAURE 2,583,553

SANTARY PROTECTOR FR BEDRIDDEN PATIENTS Filed April 7, 1949 Inventor Mar/he E. C. Faure Patented Jan. 29, 1952 SANITARY PROTECTOR FOR BEDRIDDEN PATIENTSl Marthe E. C. Faure, Tulsa, Okla., assignor to Faureed Company, Tulsa, Okla.

Application April 7, 1949, serial No. 86,016

1 Claim. l

The present invention relates to a moistureproof protective covering for disposable and similar pads and washable or disposable diapers which are now beingl commonly used for the comfort of bedfast and bedridden patients in homes, hospitals and elsewhere.

. Instead of using bedpans it is the accepted practice in handling aged and invalid persons to employ disposable pads, wads or raw cotton and in some instances Washable diapers and many and varied make-shift devices are used to apply and retain such articles in place against the users body. As a general rule, however, it is almost necessary, to protect bed clothing and mattress, to use rubber sheets. It is common knowledge that rubber sheets, especially in Warm climates, are troublesome and cause sweating and bed sores.

More explicitly, my invention has to do with a simple and economical moisture-proof covering which is of minimum proportions to conform to the anatomy and to form-nt the wearer, the same being sufficient to fasten padding and the like against the needed portions of the body and, in so doing, to comfort and keep the patient clean, to eliminate rubber sheeting, to minimize the job of constantly changing bed clothing and to otherwise make more practical the practice of using adult size diapers for bedfast persons, incontinent patients and the like.

In carrying out the principlesmof the invention, I utilize a sheet of waterproof material of so-called commercial plastic-lm the same being generally triangular in marginal outline and providing a body and hips encircling portion and a slender elongate appendage which is adopted to be drawn between the users'legs and in up over the abdomen and tied in place in order to satisfactorily hold the padding in proper relationship to the wearers buttocks and anus without undue stress and binding.

Another object is to provide the aforementioned triangular protector sheet whose marginal edges are free of usual over-the-edge bindings but are provided. inwardly of the edges, with reinforcing tapes to impart the desired fixed shape to the overall protector and to render same comparatively strong and durable.

Other objects and I advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a fragmentary perspective view of the patient showing the improved protector (Cl. 12S-287') shield or covering and illustrating the manner in which the same is applied and worn.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the protector per se.

Figures 3 and i` are enlarged fragmentary detail sections on the lines 3 3 and 44, respectively, of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings by distinguishing reference numerals and accompanying lead lines, the protector is a one-piece item and is susceptible of being made from any appropriate waterproof material. For lightness of weight and conformability and ease of washing and reusing, I have found a thin, exible, water-proof sheet or so-called plastic-film and use of same has proved to be meritorious and successful. It is obvious, however, that it is not the texture or kind of material that I am interested. in but rather in the use of what I generally refer to as an approximately triangular sheet of thin moisture-proof, iiexible material of the more acute shape shown in Figure 2. It is to be assumed that the main body portion of this sheet constitutes a body encircling member and the latter is identified by the numeral 6 and includes wraparound or end flaps 1 and 8 which, in use are tied together, without necessarily touching, over the abdomen of the wearer as broughtout in Figure 1. The slight incurved portions along the marginal edges permit the body encircling member to more or less conform to the anatomy and particularly the buttocks and hips and the appendage portion of the sheet may be referred to as an apron, the same being long and slender and adapted to t between the legs and then drawn up over the abdomen Where it is attached to the coacting ends of the flaps 1 and 8. This apron causes the overall sheet rto draw in and conform to the anatomy, that is `the buttocks, and to nt the pelvic area, to thus hold the padding 9 in place. This apron portion is denoted by the numeral Ill. Incidentally, and as previously touched upon, it is not the padding or ller with which I am concerned but only the protector which holds the padding in proper position in relation to` the coacting parts of the wearer. The straight across marginal edge I I of the body encircling portion is provided, on one surface of the sheet, with a tape I2 which We will call the body encircling tape, and this is stitched in place as at I3. Incidentally, all of the tapes are of the type shown in Figure 4 wherein the tape has inturned edge portions I4 and l5 stitched in place in the manner shown.

In Figure 4, one surface of the sheet is denoted at I6 and the other surface is denoted at II and it is this surface to which said tapes are sewn.

The free or unattached ends of the body encircling tapeY are denoted at I8 and I9 and are adapted to be tied together into a bow-knot or the like as shown in Figure 1. The coacting converging tapes, which we see spaced inwardly from the edges 2B and 2|, are denoted by the numerals 22 and 23 and these are stitched down as at 24. They come to a point or converge at the small tip end of the apron I and are provided With a double-ended auxiliary tying 'tape' 25 having free ends 25 and 2'I. rThese free ends may be tied to the already tied ends I8 and I9 Vof this tape to body contact are: It prevents or The advantagesV reducesvchang by permitting ventilation under Y the water-proof covering and so helps dissipate the'heat that is -trapped under -said covering.

The tape has the ability to absorb Vperspiration which -is va natural result to -covering Vthe body withv a non-'porous material. The tape mini- Vmizes the Vcontact of the water-proof material `My protector has been designed especially -for adults because of -the desirability, if not the necessity, of removing as much as possible the extra vpreparation of the bedand for the easy manipulation and application in the handling and care of such cases; it gives protection and comfort to the patient. Y

The `simplicity of design wasconsidered -in order to make the patient comfortable -by eliminating so much padding, heavy binding, :cover as little of the body ,and to `provide more freedom of Vaction :and circulation, thus avoiding the possibility of bed sores Adue to constant usage.

The material selected was chosen as the best for lightness in weight, wearing and sanitary qualities; the padding foreasy disposal, laundering, absorbency and economy. v

. Itis to be understood that the protector covering herein shown and described is not necessarily conned for use by hospitalized and bedridden patients, for it may be satisfactorily and aptly used Vby any incontinent patient .or person, convalescent, or one partially incapacitated or, for 'that matter, by normal persons. It is strong, and light in Weight and may be appropriately worn under ones clothing without revealing bulkiness o-r impairing freedom of movement of the wearers parts. It virtually molds itself to comfortably and snugly t the'parts of the anatomy with which it coacts. In it, manufacturers and users will find their expected needs fully met, contained and aptly available.

It is thought that persons skilled in .the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings.V Therefore, a more lengthy descripftion is regarded as unnecessary.

Minor changes in the shape, size and arrangement of details coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired. y

Having described the claimed asnew is:

A washable re-usable protector-type readily applicable and removable cover and retainer Vfor absorbent pads commonly used to take the place of abedpan comprising a triangulated single ply sheet of'thin pliant water-proof Vmaterial embodying a back portion having a straight across edge and a crotch portion, said back portion invention, what is having free terminal tying and'retaining aps adapted to overlie the abdomen of the wearer, said crotch portion being an appreciably slender tapering apronwhich is conforminglyadapted to be drawn upwardly between the wearers legs andthen up over theV abdomen, Va fabric tape superimposed against one surface of said back Vportion and attached thereto Vjust inwardly of and parallel to the straight ,across edge of the latter, the areal extent of `attachment of said tape ranging from the tip'of one ap to the vtip of the remaining flap and the ends of said `tape being free an'dprojecting well beyond Vthe terminal ends of said flaps, a single pair of additional fabric `tapes superimposed against said one surface and ranging from the attached end portions of said first named tape and extending uninterruptedly along the two remaining marginal edges of the back and apron portions of said material and being fastened to the latter slightly inwardly of the corresponding marginal edges of said back and apron portions and being joined together at the apex .end of said apron, and a pair of tying elements fastened to the junctural portions of said pair of tapes, said apron being of a length which allows said apex end to be drawn up over the abdomen of the wearer and interposed between the terminals of said flaps, whereby said tying elements may be tied to the free ends of said first named tape Yafter said free ends are tied into Aa bow-knot.

MARTHE E. c, FAURE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of `record in the le of this patent.:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 18,468 Schwartz May 17, 1932 1,163,793 Taylor Dec. 14, 1915 2,292,030 Kraft Aug. 4, 1942 

